软骨头 (ruǎn gǔ tou) — coward; (derogatory) person lacking backbone or integrity

Definition

Derogatory 'soft-bone' — a spineless person who gives in easily. Stronger than 胆小; emphasizes a lack of backbone or integrity, not just fear.

noun
coward(derogatory) person lacking backbone or integrity
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 软骨头，。
    Tā zhēn shì gè ruǎn gǔ tou, yí xià jiù tóu xiáng le.
    He's really a coward; he surrendered at the first scare.
  • 软骨头，。
    Dà jiā dōu kàn bù qǐ nà xiē ruǎn gǔ tou, yù dào kùn nan jiù tuì suō.
    Everyone looks down on those weaklings who back down when faced with difficulties.
  • ，软骨头。
    Zuò rén yào yǒu gǔ qì, bù néng dāng ruǎn gǔ tou.
    A person should have integrity; don't be a pushover.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

软ruǎnsoft
骨头bone
骨gǔbone头tóusuffix
后缀Suffix

The sense of 软 soft joins with 骨头 bones to picture someone without a hard backbone.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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